Investigators: LA Oleh Soldier Felled by Heat Stroke

An IDF soldier who was badly injured afternoon when he fainted during a training exercise was felled by heat stroke, investigators said

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David Lev, 19/08/13 23:27

Soldiers in training exercise (illustrative)

Israel news photo: Flash 90

An IDF soldier who was badly injured Sunday afternoon when he fainted during a training exercise was felled by heat stroke, an IDF investigation has concluded. The 20 year old soldier is a lone immigrant from Los Angeles who is serving a full term in the IDF.

The soldier was participating in an eight kilometer run Sunday with dozens of other soldiers in his Nachal unit. He keeled over upon completing the run and returning to his base outside Beit Lid. The soldier was given first aid on the spot and then taken to a hospital in Hadera for treatment. Teams of doctors attempted to stabilize the soldier, while the IDF opened an investigation into the incident.

The team has determined that conditions were acceptable for the activity the soldier was involved in. The IDF said in a statement that it takes into account all safety factors when conducting exercises, including the weather. The investigators added that as far as the army knew, the soldier had no health issues or problems.

In May, an IDF soldier died during a training exercise on the Golan Heights. The soldier was killed when a vehicle he was riding in exploded when it hit a landmine. In another training mishap in May, a sailor was moderately injured when he fell into the water from a ship and hit his head on a rock.